thompson technique
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Video Fluoroscopy Now, fluoroscopy is an accepted procedure for chiropractic as well as the medical profession. The most distinct difference is that chiropractors use the procedure to study the movement of joints in the body. The most prominent structures studied are in the cervical and lumbar spine, as well as joints of the extremities. One of the most dramatic improvements in recent years has been the image intensifier tubes that convert the beam of energy into the video image that is sent to the video recorder. These recorded images then make it possible for the doctor to play the motion over and over and determine where the spinal segments are not moving properly.
Radiation is
reduced by lower "kvp" and "ma" settings to the
point where a 20 second exposure is less than one lateral cervical
still exposure. A cervical motion study takes only about 15 to 20
seconds, therefore the exposure is actually less than a lateral
cervical x-ray. (Based on a study by Peterson and Associates of
Chicago, Illinois who are in the business of certifying radiological
equipment for the health industry.) To better help you to understand the basic motion of the cervical spine, I have included a line drawing that shows where the motion of vertebral units should "pivot" around a particular point. In reality the X is the pivot point and the circle is the variation that is within normal limits. Anything out side this would be abnormal to the flexion and extension capabilities of the motion in the cervical spine.
Video fluoroscopy
motion images of the cervical spine and X-rays can be used to judge
the curvature of the spine by use of "George's Line" drawn
on the posterior of the vertebral bodies and the pivot points around
which a vertebral motor unit would normally move. (note drawing) Dr. Christopher Kent wrote an extensive article on Research in Video Fluoroscopy in The Chiropractic Journal, November 1995, detailing 37 noted reports on research done on VF. One such study by Buonocare, Hartman and Nelson examined the cervical spines of 107 patients using cineradiography, including 57 who sustained flexion-extension injuries. They concluded, "The ability to demonstrate localized abnormal motion in the cervical spine allows one to predict soft-tissue injuries and the quality of spinal fusion, spinal stability, and early subluxation of the cervical spine -conditions that may not be identified on static roentgenograms nor at physical examination. (Buonocare E, Hartman JT, Nelson CL: "Cineradiograms of cervical spine in diagnosis of soft-tissue injuries." JAMA 198(1):143,1966.)
Home | About Dr. Zemelka | Thompson Technique | Video Motion X-Ray Dr. Wayne Henry Zemelka |
is a means of studying the motion of joints of the body and recording
the results of that motion on video tape. The process of fluoroscopy
has been around since the early 1900s when it was used to examine
bones and soft tissue and to some degree motion. Some years ago a
shoe manufacturer used fluoroscopy to show people how their feet were
fitting in their shoes. Utilization by the medical profession was
intensified when it was discovered that fluids flowing through organs
with special dyes could be monitored with fluoroscopy. This technique
has been improved with the invention of equipment that is more
efficient than those early days when it was more of a fad.
It
is also more desirable to have a 17CM curve from C-1 the Atlas to
the anterior tip of T-2. Loss of the lordotic curvature can result in
a condition known as a "military neck" (loss of forward
curvature) and can pose problems to a person's ability to function
normally. 
This
condition requires a chiropractic analysis and when necessary
conservative chiropractic adjustments to the affected area.